New delhi | The Election Commission of India (ECI) will undertake a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union territories, including poll-bound Manipur, ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with January 1, 2027, fixed as the qualifying date.

In a communication to the chief electoral officers of the states and Union territories concerned, the Election Commission said the exercise would focus on enrolling eligible voters, particularly young people and first-time electors, correcting errors in existing entries and ensuring that electoral rolls remain accurate and up to date.

The revision comes ahead of Assembly elections in several states next year. The terms of the Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand Assemblies are due to end in 2027. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats, while Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand have 60, 40, 117 and 70 seats, respectively.

Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Election Commission is empowered to hold elections earlier than six months before the expiry of a state Assembly’s term.

The Special Summary Revision is a routine exercise to update electoral rolls by adding eligible voters, correcting personal details and addressing other discrepancies. It differs from a Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which involves more extensive verification of voter details, including house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

During a summary revision, voters can apply to update their registered addresses or correct other details. An intensive revision, on the other hand, involves more comprehensive verification to identify duplicate and ineligible entries and establish the eligibility of registered voters.

The distinction has assumed significance amid the political controversy surrounding the SIR exercise in several parts of the country. Opposition parties have raised concerns that stringent verification procedures and documentation requirements could lead to the exclusion of eligible voters.

Critics have particularly flagged the potential difficulties faced by migrant workers, elderly people and economically disadvantaged sections in establishing their eligibility. The possibility of wrongful deletion of names has also emerged as a major point of contention.

Several petitions challenging aspects of the intensive revision process have reached the Supreme Court, bringing the Election Commission’s powers and safeguards against the exclusion of eligible voters under legal scrutiny.

The Election Commission has maintained that intensive revision is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls by removing duplicate entries and the names of deceased or otherwise ineligible persons, while ensuring that every eligible citizen is included.

The upcoming SSR will provide an opportunity for eligible voters to enrol and for existing electors to correct their details before the next round of Assembly elections.